Heretofore the most common method for cleaning paint or varnish from a brush has comprised immersing the bristles of the brush in paint solvent (which solvent may be water or an organic paint solvent depending on the type of paint or varnish to be removed) and manually manipulating or wiping the bristles in an attempt to provide complete removal of the paint or varnish from between the bristles. Paint or varnish in the tip end portions of the bristles can be completely removed by this method. Despite conscientious attempts to clean a brush by this method, however, typically a small amount of the wet paint or varnish remains in the bristles at the heel of the brush adjacent where the bristles are attached to the handle of the brush, particularly (because of their inaccessibility) around the inner bristles. This paint or varnish will dry, and some may be released and deposited as foreign particles upon subsequent use of the brush. Also the paint or varnish remaining after each of a number of cleanings accumulates and adheres together the bristles at the heel of the brush decreasing the flexible length of the bristles and making the brush progressively less suitable for spreading paint or varnish until the brush may become totally unsuitable for use.
An article at pages 120-121 in the March, 1975 issue of the magazine entitled "Popular Science" dealt with the problem, of cleaning brushes and suggested pushing a comb or wire brush through the bristles of a brush to remove paint or varnish from adjacent its heel. This method of cleaning, however efficient, could cause a great deal of undesirable manual contact with the cleaning solvent, could damage the brush bristles, and could be more time consuming than may be desired.